Anthony Cary, 5th Viscount Falkland explained

Anthony Cary, 5th Viscount Falkland
Office1:First Lord of the Admiralty
Term1:1693-1694
Office2:Member of Parliament for Great Bedwyn
Term2:1690-1694
Office3:Member of the Privy Council of England
Term3:1692
Office4:Member of Parliament for Great Marlow
Term4:1689-1690
Office5:Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire
Term5:1685-1689
Office6:Treasurer of the Navy
Term6:1681-1689
Party:Tory
Birth Date:16 February 1656
Birth Place:Farley Castle, Somerset, England
Spouse:Rebecca Lytton
Children:1
Father:Henry Cary
Relatives:Anthony Hungerford (grandfather)
Lucius Cary (grandfather)

Anthony Cary, 5th Viscount Falkland PC (16 February 1656 – 24 May 1694) was an English nobleman and politician.

Biography

Cary was born at Farley Castle, Somerset,[1] the son of Henry Cary, 4th Viscount Falkland, to whose peerage he succeeded as a child in 1663.

He married Rebecca Lytton and had one daughter:

As his peerage title was Scottish, he was able to sit in the English House of Commons. He thus served as Tory MP for Oxfordshire for 1685–1689, Great Marlow from 1689 to 1690, and Great Bedwyn from 1690 until his death.[1]

He was sworn of the Privy Council of England in 1692 and served as First Lord of the Admiralty from 1693 to 1694. He had previously held office with the latter department as Treasurer of the Navy from 1681 to 1689, under Charles II and James II, and as Commissioner of the Admiralty from 1690 to 1693.[1] Samuel Pepys had a rather low opinion of his abilities, while admitting that he suffered from chronic ill health.

In March 1694 he was committed to the Tower of London on charges of peculation, but was released three days later.[2] He died of smallpox in May, aged 38, without male issue. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.[1]

The Falkland Islands are named in his honour. The Viscounts Falkland in turn take their title from the royal residence of Falkland in Fife, Scotland.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Cokayne, G. E.. Gibbs. Vicary. Doubleday. H. A.. 1926. The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant. 5. 2nd. London. St Catherine Press. 241–2.
  2. 10.1093/ref:odnb/58100. Cary [Carey], Anthony, fifth Viscount Falkland.